Mintel Announces Seven Global Consumer Trends for 2021

We are indeed living in extraordinary times.  Our daily lives have been vastly restricted by the pandemic, causing unprecedented adjustments to our lifestyle, our behaviour and spending habits.

Now Mintel, the experts in what consumers want and why, has announced seven trends set to impact global consumer markets in 2021, including analysis, insights, and recommendations centred around consumer behaviour, market shifts, innovative brands, and opportunities for companies and brands to act on in the next 12 months:

Health Undefined: An awareness of wellbeing is at the forefront of consumers' minds, but a playbook doesn't exist. Brands have a responsibility and opportunity to set new rules.

Collective Empowerment: Consumers around the world are making their voices heard loud and clear in the push for equity, agency, and rights.

Priority Shift: Consumers are seeking a return to the essentials, with a focus on flexible possessions and a reframing of what ownership actually means.

Coming Together: Consumers are coming together in like-minded communities in order to connect with and support each other, driven by the impact of the global pandemic.

Virtual Lives: Physical separation due to the pandemic, increased need for escapism, and improved technology are driving consumers towards digital experiences.

Sustainable Spaces: COVID-19 has subtly but significantly shifted consumer awareness of our relationship with the spaces in which we live, accelerating demand for sustainability.

Digital Dilemmas: While there are many benefits to a more digitally-connected life, concerns about its negative impacts are putting consumers in a predicament.

“Consumers are in search of a wellbeing experience through an entirely new lens built around a sense of uncertainty as to when life will shift to more balanced routines. This is driving demand for comfort and structure.

“As brands aim to set a new tone and new structures, the opportunity for brands exists in not simply selling a wellbeing product or service to consumers, but also reminding them of the value in their own internal curiosity and the power of trying something new.”

Simon Moriarty, Director of Mintel Trends, EMEA, comments on how the trends were developed, as well as how they will impact markets, brands, and consumers in 2021:

“As experts in what consumers want and why, Mintel is uniquely suited to predict the future of consumer behaviour and what that means for brands. Last year, we released our 2030 Global Consumer Trends, developed as a living, growing prediction model that will adapt with the unforeseen. The model supports the fluid acceleration or deceleration of the trends according to the reality of individual markets, allowing us to not only be more adaptive and reactive to change but to continue to allow us and our clients to focus on the futures we (humanity) want to invent—or avoid.

“Our new 2021 forecasts remain embedded within our system of Mintel’s 7 Trend Drivers and their supporting pillars. They also take into account the changes that have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic—the subtle yet profound shifts in consumer thinking and responses from brands—and attempt to encapsulate the better future that consumers, globally, aspire to, and towards which brands can build their own strategic visions.”

The following are what Mintel's Moriarty has to say about the individual trend:-

Health Undefined

“Consumers are in search of a wellbeing experience through an entirely new lens built around a sense of uncertainty as to when life will shift to more balanced routines. This is driving demand for comfort and structure.

“As brands aim to set a new tone and new structures, the opportunity for brands exists in not simply selling a wellbeing product or service to consumers, but also reminding them of the value in their own internal curiosity and the power of trying something new.”

Collective Empowerment

“The collective mentality of the pandemic motivated a community-focused consumer mindset – even in traditionally individualistic cultures – that has put mutual support and advocacy at the forefront of various consumer behaviours. The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and the Global Climate Strike show how people are gathering to clamour for positive change.

“There is an opportunity for brands to take a lead in addressing these issues, and they may risk being seen as a hindrance if they fail to do so.”

Priority Shift

“As consumers are either facing economic uncertainty and/or a mix of contradictory feelings of vulnerability and resilience, they are taking a step back and embracing a scarcity mindset that makes them monitor more closely their spending and avoid excess consumption. In this search for things that matter to them, consumers are seeking not just affordability and convenience, but also safety, protection, and durability of goods.

“Brands should take advantage of this opportunity to become agents of positive change and to prove that they offer good value and tangible results.”

Coming Together

“COVID-19 revitalised the concept of community, with consumers craving human connection and interactions more than ever. With large numbers of the world's population forced to stay indoors and observe social distancing measures, this highlighted the importance of unity as a means of supporting one another.

“A widespread understanding that community and belonging are critical to combat loneliness offers brands the chance to celebrate consumer identities and offer novel ways to support each other.”

Virtual Lives

“The impact of the pandemic and continued innovation in technology has meant that experiences continue to change and the role digital entertainment plays in fostering positivity and connecting people is of particular importance.

“The fast-growing popularity of gaming and esports offers opportunities for brands from multiple markets, either via collaborations to create collectible in-game items, by creating their own games, or pairing products to go with gaming sessions.”

Sustainable Spaces

“With access to more information than ever before, consumers are demanding greater transparency from the brands they buy from, including how brands plan to tackle sustainability challenges.

“As consumers increasingly appreciate the complexity of the issues the world faces, brands have an opportunity to proactively innovate products and services that help them deal with the cumulative impact of everyday living—from a focus on localism and supporting communities to nudging consumers towards incrementally better habits that combine to great effect.”

Digital Dilemmas

“Technology has played a massive role in offering solutions that provide peace of mind in uncertain times. While technology is meant to improve life, it is worth taking a step back to assess how consumers feel about the technology with which they surround themselves.

“eCommerce and online transactions have the potential to become, and remain, the norm. Thus brands are encouraged to innovate digital capabilities in anticipation of consumers' needs and, crucially, to expertly bridge the gap between the online and offline worlds to offer a more reliable and consistent experience.”

For access to the free 2021 Global Consumer Trends for consumer insight, market expertise, and strategic recommendations to drive better business decisions, click HERE.

Loungewear rules the day setting the pace for online shopping

As there will be ongoing restrictions on our daily life at the moment, the UK government has announced relaxing the rules on indoor mixing for a five-day period over this jolly Christmas and retailers are gearing up for record discounting this Black Friday, done mostly online.

According to data analysis of online shopping website LovetheSales.com, following the buying behaviour of 6 million online shoppers, comfort clothes remain best sellers.  

Mask and kimono from loungewer brand niLuu,
using 100% Bemberg™ from Ipeker Textile.

Demand for loungewear has has surged more than 122 percent in November so far, compared to November 2019 figures. 

Brands such as Ugg, Calvin Klein and Nike are doing particularly well in terms of consumer demand. In category items hoodies are up 164 percent, joggers 118 percent and sweatshirts 81 percent. Calvin Klein and Nike saw an increase of 42 percent and 25 percent respectively.

Zurs Cargo joggers by recycled fashion
brand Ecoalf, made of Bemberg™ 

Expectedly, due to most people working from home, demand for smart clothes has waned, dropping -145 percent in November, as people continue working from home. 

Sales of suits are down -166 percent, belts -150 percent, men’s shirts -130 percent and smart trousers -127 percent.

With Christmas and New Year’s celebrations likely limited to small gatherings according to government guidelines, party clothing has seen sales fall -99 percent on average. Wrap and body-con dresses saw the greatest fall with -115 percent and -99 percent each. Cluth bags fell -61 percent and sales of shoes fell -95 percent.

Majority of UK fashion shoppers switch, avoid or boycott brands because of their environmental policies, says consultants at Kantar

Sustainability and social responsibility are of paramount importance 

to today’s modern shoppers.

Brazilian denim specialist VICUNHA TEXTIL has brought in denim guru Adriano Goldschmied (who has established a number of brands including Diesel and Replay) to help develop a denim fabric that saves up to 95% water and up to 90% chemicals in its production. As it is made of recycled pre-consumer denim, additional dyeing is not necessary. The special character of the fabric is down to the indigo of the original material, which is shredded and turned into a new fabric. With its authentic and unique appearance, ABSOLUT ECO offers an innovative alternative to reusing denim waste without the need for further dyeing. Items from the ABSOLUT ECO line are barely washed or not washed at all. They can be used directly for ready-to-wear, without any other chemicals having to be used.  

New consumer research published this week by Kantar, a leading data, insights and consulting firm, reveals that over three-quarters (76%) of UK fashion shoppers have, in the last 12 months, switched, avoided or boycotted buying certain fashion labels, or would consider doing so in the future, based on brands’ environmental policies.

Kantar questioned over 1,200 UK consumers between the ages of 16 and 65+ about their concern over a range of environmental issues, their purchasing decisions based on a brand’s sustainability credentials, environmental responsibility and whether, as a consumer, they had ever decided to boycott buying a product or switch to another brand based on its environmental reputation.

Brand loyalty is lowest among the youngest age group of 16-24 year-olds with 83% saying they have switched or might do so, with more males (22%) switching or boycotting brands than females (16%).

Responses differ considerably among generations too, with over a third (35%) of Millennials saying they have avoided buying, or decided to choose a different brand over the last 12 months, compared to only 8% of Baby Boomers. However almost half (49%) of this generation of 55-65+ year-olds indicated that while they hadn’t switched or boycotted brands in the last year because of their environmental credentials, they might consider doing so in the future – the highest among all age groups.

Harsh working conditions, environmental pollution and the overuse of packaging are some of the issues consumers think carefully about before purchasing clothes.

Much more work needs to be done by the fashion industry when it comes to publicising the positive work it is doing to address the environmental problems resulting from the throw-away, ‘fast fashion’ culture we live in today, say 72% of consumers. This sentiment is high across all regions (>69%) with more shoppers in Greater London (76%) agreeing. Only 13% consider this issue unimportant.

Mark Chamberlain, managing director of Brand, Kantar UK said: “Responsible living is being driven by cross-generational groups of ‘woke’ consumers that look towards inspiring brand heroes as change leaders. Governments and organisations are being forced to listen and respond to consumers’ demands for greater transparency as businesses strive to become more purposeful.”

Almost 90% of respondents surveyed agree that brands need to take more responsibility for the waste they produce and the impact it this has on our environment. This sentiment was high across all age groups (>82%) but highest among those aged 65 and over (92%). Three-quarters of shoppers agree that, due to inaction from many of the world’s governments, they want brands to act as forces for positive change in our society. However, when questioned about their response, over 70% of all consumers agreed that efforts by businesses to protect the environment are ‘too little, too late’, with younger generations of Millennials agreeing most with this statement (78%).

Second-hand clothing market sets to overtake the fast fashion movement

One of the reasons why I have problem de-cluttering my wardrobe is because I still love all my old clothes and accessories. (Marie Kondo, look away.)  Now take the cue from celebrities who are going for pre-owned clothing.  Leader of the pack is Kim Kardashian West who was photographed recently sporting vintage Azzedine Alaïa and Versus Versace.

Indeed various studies have shown that the second-hand clothing market is set to grow massively in the coming years, and will overtake the so-called "fast fashion" market.

Consumers are increasingly turning towards second-hand clothing, with conscientious buyers set to make pre-loved items a bigger market than so-called ‘fast fashion’ by 2029.  Photo supplied by BusinessWaste.co.uk.

Unless we have beloved relatives and ancestors who pass us their hand-me-downs, second-hand clothing outlets are where we can source desirable additions to feed our quest for something "near new" to wear.

According to a poll conducted this week by the waste management agency, BusinessWaste.co.uk, consumers are beginning to shake off their prejudices about wearing second hand clothing. While just 20% said they currently regularly buy second-hand clothes, some 90% said they could be influenced to start doing so by friends or family doing so first and 94% would follow celebrities who do so.

Interestingly, while both younger and older fashionistas were seemingly happy to shop second-hand – 80% of 16 – 21 year-olds and 91% of over-sixties, respectively – the overall percentage averaged at 45%, suggesting that there are cultural elements at play, according to Mark Hall, Communications Director of BusinessWaste.co.uk.

 “Older people are used to buying clothes that were made to last and passing hand-me-downs through families, which explains this age group’s willingness to buy second-hand. And, on the other end of the scale, young people are increasingly environmentally conscious, which could certainly influence their shopping decisions and cause them to turn away from fast fashion.  However, those in their thirties and forties are perhaps of a generation more used to consumerism, having grown up in the excessive 1980s – it’s certainly an interesting generational divide,” said Mark.

He added: “People are turning to second-hand clothing – not just out of financial necessity, but out of choice. There’s a huge opportunity here for retailers to improve their green credentials and tap into a growing number of consumers who would like to buy stylish clothing, but without the ethical concerns. Some well-known retailers already feature vintage or pre-loved selections in store and there’s clearly room for these to be more widely available – consumers still have the benefit of shopping curated lines of (second-hand) pieces in line with their preferred style, but without the environmental impact.”

The San-Francisco-based secondhand fashion marketplace ThredUp has also released similar findings in its 2019 Resale Report, saying the secondhand apparel market has been growing 21 times faster than retail apparel over the last three years and is on track to be larger than fast fashion by 2028.

“Resale offers the wardrobe-rotating fun of fast fashion without the guilt or waste. By driving preferences away from fast fashion towards higher quality clothes, reuse is a boon for our personal style and the planet.” says Elizabeth L. Cline, Author of the Conscious Closet.